1 When David was old and full of days, he installed his son Solomon as king over Israel.
2 Then he gathered all the leaders of Israel, the priests, and the Levites.
3 The Levites thirty years old or more were counted; the total number of men was thirty-eight thousand by headcount.
4 âOf these,â David said, âtwenty-four thousand are to be in charge of the work on the LORDâs temple, six thousand are to be officers and judges,
5 four thousand are to be gatekeepers, and four thousand are to praise the LORD with the instruments that I have made for worship.â
6 Then David divided them into divisions according to Leviâs sons: Gershom, Kohath, and Merari.
7 The Gershonites: Ladan and Shimei.
8 Ladanâs sons: Jehiel was the first, then Zetham, and Joelâthree.
9 Shimeiâs sons: Shelomoth, Haziel, and Haranâthree. Those were the heads of the families of Ladan.
10 Shimeiâs sons: Jahath, Zizah, Jeush, and Beriah. Those were Shimeiâs sonsâfour.
11 Jahath was the first and Zizah was the second; however, Jeush and Beriah did not have many sons, so they became one family and received a single assignment.
12 Kohathâs sons: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzzielâfour.
13 Amramâs sons: Aaron and Moses. Aaron, along with his descendants, was set apart forever to consecrate the most holy things, to burn incense in the presence of the LORD, to minister to him, and to pronounce blessings in his name forever.
14 As for Moses the man of God, his sons were named among the tribe of Levi.
15 Mosesâs sons: Gershom and Eliezer.
16 Gershomâs sons: Shebuel was first.
17 Eliezerâs sons were Rehabiah, first; Eliezer did not have any other sons, but Rehabiahâs sons were very numerous.
18 Izharâs sons: Shelomith was first.
19 Hebronâs sons: Jeriah was first, Amariah second, Jahaziel third, and Jekameam fourth.
20 Uzzielâs sons: Micah was first, and Isshiah second.
21 Merariâs sons: Mahli and Mushi. Mahliâs sons: Eleazar and Kish.
22 Eleazar died having no sons, only daughters. Their cousins, the sons of Kish, married them.
23 Mushiâs sons: Mahli, Eder, and Jeremothâthree.
24 These were the descendants of Levi by their ancestral families âthe family heads, according to their registration by name in the headcountâtwenty years old or more, who worked in the service of the LORDâs temple.
25 For David said, âThe LORD God of Israel has given rest to his people, and he has come to stay in Jerusalem forever.
26 Also, the Levites no longer need to carry the tabernacle or any of the equipment for its serviceâ â
27 for according to the last words of David, the Levites twenty years old or more were to be countedâ
28 âbut their duty will be to assist the descendants of Aaron with the service of the LORDâs temple, being responsible for the courts and the chambers, the purification of all the holy things, and the work of the service of Godâs templeâ
29 as well as the rows of the Bread of the Presence, the fine flour for the grain offering, the wafers of unleavened bread, the baking, the mixing, and all measurements of volume and length.
30 They are also to stand every morning to give thanks and praise to the LORD, and likewise in the evening.
31 Whenever burnt offerings are offered to the LORD on the Sabbaths, New Moons, and appointed festivals, they are to offer them regularly in the LORDâs presence according to the number prescribed for them.
32 They are to carry out their responsibilities for the tent of meeting, for the holy place, and for their relatives, the descendants of Aaron, in the service of the LORDâs temple.â